Elastic tube swing seat



ELASTIC TUBE SWING SEAT Filed July 20, 1965 INVENTOR PAM M fi/mz/ps ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,352,555 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 3,352,555 ELASTIC TUBE SWING SEAT Paul W. Phillips, 5304 Sonora Way, Carmichael, Calif. 95608 Filed July 20, 1965, Ser. No. 473,462 10 Claims. (Cl. 272-85) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a swing forming toy which may be attached to an overhead beam or limb of a tree.

It is known to secure a tire casing to a tree limb or the like by a rope in order to provide a makeshift swing on which individuals may amuse themselves. In attempting to utilize an inner tube, such as from an automobile, motorcycle or bicycle tire, in lieu of a tire casing on such a swing, it has been found that the elastic nature of inner tubes greatly enhances the enjoyment of individuals as may be readily apparent. It has been found, however, that such inner tubes may stretch to the breaking point when a heavy individual is swinging thereon.

An object of the instant invention is to provide a swing utilizing an inner tube or other highly elastic member to form a seat upon which a person may reside while swinging.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a rope or the like within an inner tube to preclude the breakage thereof when the tube is used as a swing seat.

Still another object of the instant invention is'to provide means for securing together the severed ends of a hollow elastic tube.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide means for securing together the ends of a rope or the like positioned Within a continuous elastic tube.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide means secured to the exterior of an elastic tube providin g facilities by which a rope or the like may be secured thereto.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide means for securing together the ends of an elongated tensile member positioned within a hollow elastic tube which cooperate with an externally positioned rope attachment means to secure together the free ends of the elastic tube.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction and operation, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an overall organizational view of the swing of the instant invention secured as by a rope or the like to an overhanging beam or limb;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the means securing together the hollow elastic tube which forms the seat of the instant swing, an interiorly positioned tensile member, and a rope securing the swing to an overhanging beam or limb, certain parts being broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the connecting means of FIGURE 2, taken along line 33 and viewing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing an exterior view of the means connecting the elastic tube to an elongated tensile member for securement to an overhanging limb or beam; and

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the exterior connection shown in FIGURE 4 as may be seen from line 55 viewing in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, there is indicated generally at 10 a seat forming means connected by a securement means designated generally at 12 to an elongated tensile member 14 looped about an overhanging limb or beam 16.

Seat forming means 10 includes a continuous elastic tube 18, which may be formed from the inner tube of an automobile, motorcycle, bicycle or the like, providing an interior passageway 20. It should be noted, that in the uuexpanded or unstretched condition, tube 18 is of a predetermined length which may be increased by the application of forces in the known manner.

Tube 18 may be formed by severing an inner tube or the like to provide a first end 22 and a second end 24 with an elongated tensile member 26, such as a rope or the like being positioned interiorly of internal passage 20 as may be seen in FIGURE 2. Rope 26 is of substantially lesser thickness than internal passageway 20 and is of substantially greater length than the unstretched length of tube 18 as previously denominated. As more fully explained hereinafter, rope 26 is of substantially greater length than the unstretched dimension of tube 18 to provide a limit beyond which tube 18 may not stretch or to provide an emergency seat forming means should tube 18 snap upon stretching.

As may be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, a connecting means shown generally at 28 secures together the ends of 'rope 26 and includes a central elongated body 30, which is preferably wooden, but which may also beplastic or metal, providing a pair of substantially cylindrical exterior surfaces 32, 34 having a groove 36 spaced therebetween. If body 39 is wooden or metal, groove 30 may be formed by turning on a lathe, and if body 30 is plastic, groove 30 may be formed by molding. Extending throughout the length of body 30 and lying approximately along its longi tudinal axis is a shank 38 lying in an opening 49 and having an eye 42, 44 at each end thereof spaced outwardly from the ends of body 30. The ends of rope 29 are knotted as at 46, 48 thus secured to eyes 42, 44.

As may be seen in FIGURE 2, end 24 of tube 18 is pulled about the external periphery of body 39 with end 22 of tube 18 being concentrically positioned above end 24. Securement means 12 fastens together body 30, first end 22, and second end 24 and includes a semi-circular or arcuate saddle 50 positioned along approximately onehalf of the periphery of first end 22 and providing a pair of spaced apart transverse slots 52, 54.

A band-shaped connector shown generally at 56 provides a first portion 58 fitted between saddle 50 and first end 22 of tube 18 overlying groove 36 of connecting means 28. Band 56 also includes an elongated second portion 60 extending through slot 52 and an elongated third portion 62 extending through slot 54, portions 58, 60, 62 preferably being integral. It should be noted that band 56 is of a lesser width than groove 36 so that it may frictionally bind and hold first and second ends 22, 24 of tube 18 therein.

A U-shaped bracket shown generally at 64 is also a component of securing means 12 and includes a pair of substantially parallel spaced apart legs 66, 68 secured together by a perpendicular transverse plate 70. Legs 66, 68 provide a pair of transversely aligned apertures 72 in which resides a threaded bolt 74 having an enlarged head 76. An aperture adjacent the end of second portion 60 of band connector 56 is secured between head 76 of bolt 74 and leg 68 of bracket 64 with the threaded end of bolt 74 extending through a pair of aligned apertures in a loop 78 of third portion 62 as may be seen in FIGURE 3.

A threaded nut 80 is received by the end of bolt 74 out wardly of loop 78 and acts to tighten band connector 56 by shortening the etfective length thereof. Since bolt 74 extends substantially beyond leg 66 of bracket 64 it will be seen that band 56 will be tightened considerably with 3 first portion 58, and parts of second and third portions 60, '62 depressing first and second ends 22, 24 of tube 18 within groove 36 of connecting means 28. An aperture 82 is provided in transverse plate 70 of U-shaped bracket 64 and receives one end of tensile member 14, which isv preferably a relatively large rope. A knot 84 is tied on the end of rope 14 to fasten together rope 14 and U- shaped bracket 64. Rope 14 is looped about overhanging beam of limb 16 and is provided on the other end thereof with a plurality of knots 86 which are received in a bifurcated bracket shown generally at 88. Bracket 88 preferably constitutes an extension of second portion 60 of band connector 56 and includes a pair of ears 90 forming an enlarged slot 92 with a small opening 94 leading therein. It will be seen that the free end of rope 14 may be secured to bifurcated bracket 88 by lifting upwardly on seat means and slipping rope 14 through opening 94. Allowing seat forming means 10 to gravitate will result in the juxtaposition of knot '86 beneath slot 92. Since knot 86 is of a larger size than slot 92, seat forming means 10 will be elfectively secured.

It has been found preferable to make bifurcated bracket 88 arcuate in nature to :preclude the inadvertent release of knot 86 from bracket 88. It should be understood that any other suitable form of connecting means may secure rope 14 to band connector 56 or U-shaped bracket 64.

It will be seen that band connector 56 secures first and second ends 22, 24 of tube 18 to body 30 of securing means 28 substantially throughout the circumference of groove 36. Accordingly, elastic tube 18 may be stretched by a person sitting thereon without danger of ends 22, 24 separating.

It will also be seen that the elastic nature of tube 18 will lend increased enjoyment to a person swinging on swing 10. It should also be apparent that rope 26 residing interiorly of tube 18 may either limit the elastic stretch of tube 18 to avoid snapping or, in the event of breakage of the tube 18, will provide an emergency means by which the individual may grasp or sit during swinging.

It is now seen that there is herein. provided an improved toy having all of the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a swing, seat forming means including a continuous elastic tube having a continuous internal passage, an elongated tensile member disposed within said internal passage and of substantially lesser thickness than said internal passage and of substantially greater length than the periphery of said tube, means connecting said tensile member to said tube in at least one location and means secured to the exterior of said tube for securing said tube to ano r tensi e im bs e 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said elongated tensile means has two ends and said connecting means includes a solid body within said internal passage providing means secured to said ends of said rope.

3. The structure of claim 2 .wherein said solid body forms a peripheral groove transverse to said passage, said securing means includes a band connector positioned about the exterior of said tube juxtaposed to said groove and means for tightening said band, said band connector also being part of said connecting means.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said securing means includes rope attachment means, and an arcuate saddle positioned on a side of said tube opposite from said attachment means, said saddle being secured to said band connector supporting the periphery of said tube.

5. The structure of claim 3 where said tube includes a first end and a second end, said ends being positioned coaxial with said body, said band connector securing said ends to said body.

6. The structure of claim 1 where said tube forms a closed loop having a center positioned Within the interior of said loop, said tensile member forms a closed loop having a center positioned within the interior of said loop, said center of said tensile member also being positioned interiorly of said loop for-med by said tube.

7. The structure of claim 6 including another tensile member secured to said last mentioned means.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said another tensile member is secured to a member vertically spaced from said seat forming means.

9. A swing comprising seat forming means including a continuous elastic tube having a continuous internal passage enclosing an elongated first tensile member of substantially lesser thickness than said internal passage and of substantially greater length than the periphery of said tube, connecting means securing said tensile member to said tube in a single location, and means secured to said connecting means for attaching said tube to a second tensile member.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said tube and said first tensile members form closed loops having cen ters, both of said centers being positioned interiorly of said loops.

References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 393,595 11/1888 Veatch 63-5 X 649,026 5/1900 Wood 119-106 1,585,334 5/1926 =Ensor 27261 FOREIGN PATENTS 538,316 3/1922 France. 255,142 11/1948 Switzerland.

ANTON o. oEcHsLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner. 

1. IN A SWING, SEAT FORMING MEANS INCLUDING A CONTINUOUS ELASTIC TUBE HAVING A CONTINUOUS INTERNAL PASSAGE, AN ELONGATED TENSILE MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID INTERNAL PASSAGE AND OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESSER THICKNESS THAN SAID INTERNAL PASSAGE AND OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER LENGTH THAN THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TUBE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID TENSILE MEM- 